P-D girls grab late lead, fend off Leyton charge

POTTER — So, if the shots aren’t dropping for you, what is left to do, if you’re Conner Wolff?

Keep shooting.

Wolff, while bobbling an entry pass, hit a short jump shot off the right side that gave the Potter-Dix girls basketball team the lead for good Tuesday night in a 39-37 victory against visiting Cheyenne County neighbor Leyton.

Wolff’s basket, coupled with three key defensive plays and an additional free throw from her sister Morgan, settled an issue that had four ties and eight lead changes.

Coyotes coach Jeff Einspahr said that the percentages were due his leading scorer.

“Conner almost walked on the play, but she was due,” Einspahr said. “A few had rolled in and out for her up til then, so it was good that one dropped.”

Wolff scored with 1 minute, 53 seconds remaining, after a free-throw by LHS’s Katy Ernest had tied the game for the final time at 36-all.

Leyton (2-2) had plenty of chances to take the lead, or tie, in the closing seconds.

Dani McKay hit a foul shot at 1:07 to cut the lead to 38-37, but on successive possessions, the Warriors had shots blocked. Then, with 36.7 seconds left, P-D’s Amanda Maas went between two Leyton players to force a tie-up, and the possession arrow gave the Coyotes the ball/

Morgan Wolff was immediately fouled and sank one of two free throws at 36.2 seconds to make it 39-37.

Still, Leyton was in with a chance, but couldn’t cash in.

Rachael Ernest was fouled on an offensive rebound, but missed both free throws at 8.5 seconds. The Warriors had two more cracks at the basket — including a potential game-winning 3-pointer from McKay — but those attempts bounced out.

“We kept them in the game by fouling them,” Einspahr said. “At the end we got some good stops that got us the win.”

Conner Wolff had 11 points to lead all scorers, with Kaidee Livingstone adding eight for Potter-Dix. Kailtyn Berner’s nine points paced Leyton.

LHS assistant coach Jennifer Hellie, filling in for Rol Rushman (ill), said her team missed key free throws.

“It was a little discouraging, but we played hard until the end,” Hellis said. “We’ve been working on free throws this week, so I was shocked because girls’ percentages in practice had been high this week.”

Both teams return to action Friday night, as Potter-Dix plays at Caliche, while Leyton goes to Banner County.

Potter-Dix 39, Leyton 37

Leyton 9 13 7 8—37

P-D 13 7 10 9—39

Leyton (2-2): KWaite 0 2-4 2, RErnest 3 2-4 8, DWaite 2 0-0 4, Berner 4 1-1 9, Lukesh 1 2-2 4, McKay 0 1-4 1, KErnest 0 7-10 7, Gill 0 2-2 2. Totals 10 17-27 37

Potter-Dix (3-1): Ramsey 2 1-2 6, Livingstone 2 4-7 8, Harms 0 2-2 2, Ball 0 1-2 1, CWolff 4 3-7 11, Long 0 2-2 2, Julefs 2 0-0 6, MWolff 0 1-2 1, Maas 1 0-2 2. Totals 11 14-26 39

3-point field goals — Potter-Dix 3 (Juelfs, Ramsey). Team fouls — Leyton 20, Potter-Dix 22. Fouled out: Berner.